Practical Luxury

There’s a term you don’t see too often, after all, most luxury items are more decadent than practical. There’s no such thing as a “practical” Fabergé Egg or bespoke suit, but we’ve discovered a rare exception in the automotive world.

Upscale SUVs are as common as seagulls on a dumpster, and are the official vehicle of gated communities worldwide. Escalades may be OK for the nouveau riche, but the cognoscenti opt for the vehicle the Queen of England uses to get to her hot yoga class: a Range Rover. These grandsons of the wild and wooly Land Rover combine aristocratic amenities with the ability to climb mountains and traverse rivers, or more locally, survive the traffic-calming circles adorning a suburb near you. The price is usually the least expensive part of owning a big SUV compared to keeping the tank full, but the Range Rover td6 has a secret. A V6 diesel engine gives it Prius-like 33 mpg fuel economy, yet packs enough torque to tow 6-story buildings. The interior is pure English Private Club with exotic woods and sensual leather. The silky-smooth 8-speed transmission gives it the performance of a gas-guzzling V8. Now you know why the Queen smiles so much; LandRoverUSA.com.

Two mega-boat shows in town. Perfect weather. It’s time to take the family and
friends out for a dinner cruise. Pay close attention to these yacht chef secrets to make things a little smoother out on the high seas.